


Forward, Together

by Meatball42



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Extra Treat, Friends With Benefits, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-11
Updated: 2019-11-11
Packaged: 2021-01-08 06:51:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21231605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meatball42/pseuds/Meatball42
Summary: They agreed on friends with benefits when they started this, but Bucky wants more.





	Forward, Together

**Author's Note:**

  * For [xCrossbonesx (StarSpangledBucky)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarSpangledBucky/gifts).

Bucky barely gets off the plane at JFK when he gets a text. The personalized ringtone has him grabbing at his pocket. With none of his friends around to see him act like this over a text, he doesn't mind looking desperate.

It's Tony. _Dinner tonight?_ is all it says.

It's all Bucky needs. _Definitely. 7?_ he replies.

Tony texts back in less than ten seconds. _You want to go out, or stay in?_

Bucky grins to himself, licking his lips unconsciously. _You __have to ask?_

* * *

It's not that they don't go out. Tony knows a few places that are discreet, or that are far enough off the beaten path that they won't be photographed. Bucky's work for the Avengers tends to have him leading quiet missions all over the world. He rarely has an excuse to spend any extended time in the city, not unless he _makes_ time. And he's been making time a lot more often this past year. But Tony still knows better restaurants, and he's still famous, and works with Steve, and they're still being discreet.

'Discreet.' Another word for secret. Bucky sighs at himself in the mirror as he gets dressed for what they are definitely not officially calling a date. This started out as a purely fuck buddies thing, but it's become a friends with benefits thing. They eat together before they sleep together, now. And they talk, and once or twice have actually gone out to those fancy, _discreet_ restaurants, and just once, they walked through Central Park when Tony hadn't been outside for several days.

And maybe Bucky had wanted to take Tony's hand in Central Park. And maybe he wouldn't mind going to some more normal restaurants, or spending more of his time in New York with Tony than can be justified by a friends with benefits arrangement.

But they both made it very clear what their expectations were when they started this: Tony wanted a rebound after his latest break-up with Pepper and Bucky wanted something with no strings. Even though he’d recovered significantly from his time as the Winter Soldier, he hadn’t felt ready to get back into dating. He’d been attracted to Tony, Tony’s been attracted to him, and since Bucky had joined the Avengers right after Tony left, there were no worries about fraternizing. 

For a while, it had been perfect, exactly what Bucky wanted. But then he started looking forward to their nights together a bit too much. When they slept together, Bucky didn’t just enjoy the sex, he enjoyed that it was Tony he was sleeping with. When he caught himself watching Tony’s eyes crinkle up when he laughed, he knew he was in trouble.

And now, as he catches himself looking between two colognes and trying to figure out which one Tony would like better, Bucky admits to himself.

He's in love.

* * *

Dinner is great, as usual. Tony has it shipped in from some fancy place, triple servings for the super soldier of course, and Bucky enjoys it, as usual. But the highlight of the evening is, as always, listening to Tony talk, watching his face, making him laugh.

They toss on some movie and Bucky doesn't pay attention even for a minute. They talk over it, about the team and the latest drama in Washington and something someone Tony works with did and something Bucky saw abroad, and it's like coming home. Sitting on the sofa with Tony and hearing about Wanda getting airsick is the highlight of Bucky's month. There's nowhere else he'd rather be.

They fall into kissing naturally, the movie nothing more than background noise, and then they move into the bedroom, and no. _Now_ there's nowhere else he'd rather be.

* * *

_Jesus._

Bucky buries his face in Tony’s neck, barely keeping his body from crushing Tony into the mattress as his orgasm takes over. Tony’s nails dig into his back and their overheated skin presses together all over. Bucky feels more alive than he has in years.

Once he recovers, he rolls off Tony to collapse against cool sheets. His muscles feel like overcooked spaghetti; the effort it takes to reach up and brush his hair out of his eyes is astronomical. He finds himself laughing for no reason.

The bed shifts beside him. Tony is propping his head up on one hand, wearing a crooked smile and a single cocked eyebrow. As Bucky giggles the amusement softens into something approaching fondness.

“I didn’t think you were drunk,” he comments. “You sure didn’t fuck like you’re drunk.”

Bucky shakes his head, stretches. He feels amazing. “I’m not drunk. Just feel good.”

Tony looks down the bed, admiring Bucky’s body as he enjoys the stretch and post-sex endorphins. “You look good, too.”

He reaches out to touch, skimming down Bucky’s chest and stomach, cupping Bucky’s ass when Bucky obligingly twists his hips to stretch the other way.

All of that is fine. Bucky is used to Tony admiring him, and he’s used to Tony being handsy. It’s when Tony rolls closer and starts kissing his neck that the happiness starts to seep away.

Because it's getting to be impossible to ignore that this isn't all he wants anymore. For a few months, it was enough to have great sex, and then it was enough to be making a new friend. But now when Tony does things like smile that crooked smile at him, or kiss him like he isn’t trying to start another round, like he’s just enjoying that Bucky’s there with him, that they’re together… it’s hard.

He doesn’t want it to stop, though. Maybe it’s masochistic, but Bucky would rather have this much with Tony than nothing at all.

Tony pulls their bodies closer together, slipping his knee between Bucky’s legs. Neither of them are ready for another go this soon, but the feel of Tony’s body against his has Bucky breathing in deep with pleasure. He tugs at Tony’s hair until the other man looks up, and then he kisses him, imagining that all the things he wants to say can be felt through the touch of their lips.

Tony responds in kind. He kisses Bucky back deeper, tilting his head for a better angle. When they break off, he looks down at Bucky, those beautiful brown eyes seeing deeper than Bucky wants. He looks away, checking the time on the bedside hologram as an excuse. Tony shifts away and drags the sheets and blankets that had been shoved down the bed up to cover them. Even with the new coverings, Bucky feels bereft without Tony laying half on top of him.

“There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask,” Tony says.

Bucky swallows. He knows he’s been too obvious lately, but he’d hoped that maybe Tony hadn’t noticed, or was willing to put up with Bucky’s feelings as long as they didn’t impact their arrangement.

“What’s up?” he says levelly.

“I was wondering if maybe, you’d want to get dinner sometime?”

Bucky is silent, sure that he misunderstood. He plays the words over again in his head. “You mean, like…”

“Not like we usually do. Like a date,” Tony says firmly. His jaw is clenched and he’s looking directly down at the blanket, rather than at Bucky’s who’s staring at him in shock. “I know we were clear about the friends with benefits thing, but.” He takes a deep breath, his face twitching. “I… like you.”

It looks like it hurt to say. Bucky starts smiling uncontrollably. Tony doesn’t notice

“I want to spend some time with you outside the bedroom. If you’re not interested, that’s fine, we can keep doing what we’re doing. We’re pretty good at it, after all.”

He finally looks up at Bucky and blinks in surprise. Bucky has no idea what his face is doing, but it’s definitely something it’s never done before. He can’t remember the last time he felt this happy.

“Yeah,” he says, feeling like the joy is bursting out of him like the sun. “I want to get dinner.”

“Great,” Tony breathes. He laughs, still watching Bucky’s ecstatic look. “Yeah, good plan. I’ll put it on the calendar.”

Bucky grabs him by the shoulders and Tony meets him enthusiastically for a kiss that’s even better than the last one. But maybe that’s how it is when you don’t have to hide your feelings. Everything is even better than the last time.

Bucky’s looking forward to finding out.


End file.
